Show ContentsDurys History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Durys Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Durys

What does the name Durys mean?

The ancient Scottish name Durys is rooted in the people of the Pictish clans. Durys was a name for a person who held the office of Dereth.

Early Origins of the Durys family

The surname Durys was first found in Fife, where "Durie, [is] an estate in the parish of Scoonie." 1

Some of the first records of the family include: "Duncan de Durry witnessed a charter by Malise, earl of Strathem, c. 1258-1271. John Dury [who] was cleric in St. Andrews diocese, 1464, and Walter Doray [who] was one of the brethren of the Priory of Cupar, 1500. Mr. Andrew Dure was presented to the vicarage of Newtyle, 1519, George Dury witnessed a presentation in St. Andrews, 1526, and Joneta Durye had sasine of lands in Ayrshire, 1564. " 2

Early History of the Durys family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Durys research. Another 302 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1260, 1296, 1464, 1496, 1519, 1526, 1527, 1530, 1537, 1555, 1558, 1561, 1564, 1587, 1596, 1600, 1616, 1650 and 1680 are included under the topic Early Durys History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Durys Spelling Variations

In medieval Scotland, names were more often spelled according to sound than any regular set of rules. An enormous number of spelling variations were the result. Over the years, the name Durys has been spelled Durie, Durray, Doray, Dorie, Durrie and others.

Early Notables of the Durys family

Robert Durie (1555-1616), a Scottish Presbyterian minister; and his son, John Dury (1596-1680), a Scottish Calvinist minister and intellectual. He made efforts to re-unite the Calvinist and Lutheran wings of Protestantism. Andrew Durie (d. 1558), was Bishop of Galloway and Abbot of Melrose, the son of John Durie of Durie in Fife, and brother to George Durie. George Durie (1496-1561), was Abbot of Dunfermline and Archdeacon of St. Andrews. "From 1527 till 1530 he acted as judge and executor of the monastery of Arbroath. During this same period he assumed the title of...
Another 92 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Durys Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Durys family to Ireland

Some of the Durys family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Durys family

In such difficult times, Ireland, Australia, and North America looked like better homes for many Scots. The trips were expensive and grueling, but also rewarding, as the colonies were havens for those unwelcome in the old country. That legacy did not die easily, though, and many were forced to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. The Scottish legacy has resurface in more recent times, though, through Clan societies, highland games, and other organizations. Immigration and passenger lists have shown many early immigrants bearing the old Scottish name of Durys: John Durie who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1620; Isabel Durie settled in New Jersey in 1686; Jacob Durie settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1738..
  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)

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